Dem strategist says criticism of Biden's mental decline should be 'muted' amid cancer diagnosis as timing of announcement questioned

On Sunday, it was announced that former President Joe Biden, who has been out of office since January, has been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. Many have called into question the timing of his diagnosis, as a book on Biden’s mental decline is set to come out on Tuesday, and how it was not caught sooner for someone of his status.

A statement from Biden’s personal office read, "Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone." The statement added, "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management."

Many on social media questioned the timing of the diagnosis. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson called it "the Most Dangerous Cover-up in the History of the Presidency," noting that White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote, over the summer, that Biden was "completely fit for the Presidency."

"Now we learn Biden has 'advanced’ prostate cancer. But wait," Johnson wrote. "Advanced prostate cancer takes +10 years to develop to the stage where Biden’s diagnosis is. Prostate cancer is also *easy* to find. Simple blood test or prostate exam will give you near 100% accurate results. You’re telling me that the best doctors and testing on earth did not *find* Biden’s cancer in all these years of testing? Was every medical report a lie? For how long? "

"Bullsh*t. This is the worst coverup in the history of the Presidency. Absolute scandal. They knew. They lied. They hid it. For power. People need to be held accountable for this. Evil.," he added.  

Leading oncology specialist Dr. Zeke Emanuel told Morning Joe that it was unlikely Biden developed the aggressive cancer in the months since he left the White House. Emanuel said Biden "did not develop it in the last, 100, 200 days. He had it while he was President. He probably had it at the start of his presidency in 2021."

Timcast host, Tim Pool, wrote in response to Emanuel’s comments, "This is the biggest scandal in US History."

Dr Vin Gupta told Morning Joe that physicals for President Donald Trump and former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush noted screening results for prostate cancer, however, it does not appear Biden's did.

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh wrote, "This is the most cynical thing I've ever seen in American politics. It's astounding, truly. Biden has stage 4 cancer. There is no way in hell they just caught it now. They knew it, probably for years, and lied to the American people. And then they waited until two days before a book comes out about the cover up of his mental decline so that they could change the subject and quiet all criticism in the name of 'compassion' for a sick man. The whole thing is so transparent. These people are evil beyond words."

He added, "If you think an 80 year old man goes from a clean bill of health to stage 4 cancer in the span of six months then you are too dumb to be taken seriously. You have to have shit for brains to take any of this at face value. Especially from people who have a long track record of lying about Biden's health."

Human Events Daily host Jack Posobiec noted other times that the media criticized those who were calling Biden’s mental fitness into question, with videos being called "cheap fakes."

Democrat leaders were quick to comment on Biden’s ability as questions were raised in the wake of his disastrous debate performance in June, which ultimately led to his withdrawal from the presidential election.

On Sunday, CNN framed Biden’s diagnosis as one that delays conversations on Biden’s mental decline, asking CNN Chief Political Correspondent David Axelrod, "his medical condition now, his announced medical condition now, do you believe that silences or delays a lot of conversations about his last year and a half of his presidency, for now?"

Axelrod replied, "yeah, well I think those conversations are going to happen, but they should be more muted and set aside for now as he’s struggling through this."